Traditional boats: a "cutting-edge" passion in Saint-Raphaël

The sea has long since taken their heart: the 120 members of the Raphaël association "Bateaux et Gréements de tradition" (BGT) share their passion for Provençal pointus. Every morning, they open their workshop next to the Santa Lucia nautical club to work with wood, sand, custom-build, carve, repair engines, sew sails, paint... and finally, sail the deep blue sea.

In a friendly atmosphere led by the president, Richard Bongiorno, lovers of maritime heritage are renovating their 37 boats, as they restored the famous "Tobie San Rafeu" and as at the moment "Tonton", the latest arrival which really needed new struts, its extension ends supporting pieces of framework being rotten. The waterproofing and the bow also benefited from the care of the experts before a good lick of paint to be ready this weekend. Because from Friday, the association offers its fourth festival of the sea called Trophée des Lions , festivities for young and old.

Louis Bodin, guest of honor

Jean-Luc screws back together a piece of wood he custom-cut. **Photos by JJ.**

"The boat clears your head, you no longer think about worries. At BGT, I found friends, the pleasure of sharing sailing. We improvise as tinkerers and we learn on the job. You have to be meticulous, that's the secret," said Gilbert Depetris, the treasurer. This is confirmed by Gilles, who came from Burgundy five years ago and joined the group: "In Saint-Raphaël, I found the colors, the magnificent light... and the welcome. The club atmosphere is really warm. I was a mechanic, so I take care of the engines and my friends teach me how to sail. It's very pleasant."

Gilles varnishes the hull so that "Tonton" will be ready this weekend.

"We created a WhatsApp group and we chat a lot," added the president, Richard Bongiorno. "If someone wants to go out to sea, they ask who wants to come, it's very friendly. And on Saturdays, it's aperitif time... to create social bonds. There are couples but also single gentlemen and ladies. Since we still have a shipyard, there's someone at the premises every day, but here, there's no question of military directives. It's a space of freedom, it's cool. I don't like giving orders. We come with a smile. For the Saint-Pierre festival, everyone gave their time and we took 150 people out for free. Our role is to be transmitters of maritime history for future generations."

And this weekend, the president and his BGT team will be on deck to bring the people of Raphaël an original weekend, the sea festival called "Trophée des Lions", with a rich program of regattas, yawl demonstrations, sea trips, introductions to nautical knots, workshops for children, meals... in a dedicated village. With the famous meteorological engineer, journalist on TF1, Louis Bodin.

During the associations' forum, artist Florence Lévy finished the coloring of the drawings made by the children on a pointy pencil that will be presented on Friday.

The program

Friday: 10 a.m., opening of the village in Beaurivage, giant screens in Delayen and Beaurivage, stands, distribution of sailing instructions for the regatta sailors. Workshop "draw me Tobie, your pointu" and submit your drawings for the draw. From 2 p.m., creation and learning of nautical knots and traps; discovery and know-how of the renovation of traditional pointus; animation of archaeological digs for children. At 3:30 p.m., presentation of the Martinique yole crew, launching and demonstration at sea, sea monitoring in zodiac (registration on takesea.fr/trophee-des-lions-saint-raphael). At 6:30 p.m., festival parade on the Delayen space with sound and light. 8 p.m., buccaneers' dinner open to all with music (reservations: bgt-saintraphael.fr/trophee-des-lions/restauration).

Saturday: 9 a.m., village opening and departure at sea for the regattas of pointus rowing and then sailing and cutters, demonstration at sea of Martinique yole and Tobie. Follow the regattas at sea aboard a catamaran (reservations at amccapegrace.com/trophee-des-lions-saint-raphael) or a zodiac (reservations at takesea.fr/trophee-des-lions-saint-raphael). At 11 a.m., demonstration of a sea rescue, introduction to technical gestures. At noon, paella with music (reservations at bgt-saintraphael.fr/trophee-des-lions/restauration).

At 2 p.m., renovation of traditional pointus; sea rescue; introduction to nautical knots and traps; exploration of an archaeological dig site; discovery of astronomy with telescopes and sextants; demonstrations of Provençal jousting; pétanque competition. Louis Bodin will give a lecture at 3 p.m. on the extraordinary stories of the weather and will sign his book.

At 4:30 p.m., artist Florence Lévy will draw the five winners of the drawing competition, who will be able to present the weather with Louis Bodin. At 8 p.m., there will be a dinner show "Martinique in the Spotlight" (prices and reservations at bgt-saintraphael.fr/trophee-des-lions/restauration).

Sunday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., village in Beaurivage, departures of the regattas, Martinique yole, followed by the regattas in catamarans or zodiacs as the day before; workshops on excavation, nautical knots, renovation... and barbecue (reservations at bgt-saintraphael.fr/trophee-des-lions/restauration ).